Rice and Peas

[AIR]

Hey Grandma2 - I was looking for a rice and peas recipe in the archives and I couldn't find one. So hey I created m'own recipe!.

Little of Emeril, little of Cool Shade (Jamaican restaurant), a little me and turned out real nice!

I used:
Can of coconut milk, bouquet of fresh thyme, sea salt, pepper, can of kidney beans (rinsed), long grain white rice and water (whatever required depending on how much I was cooking.)
It turned out really nice! I think the key was the coconut milk. I know Breeze enjoyed it! [img]/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

PS. Emeril recommends adding pork [I left dat out]

[Simmy]

Re: Rice and Peas

Hi Air!! Lang time yu no *Breeze* thru here! [img]/forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img]
How ya doing? [img]/forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img]
That Emeril loves his pork don't he? Your recipe sounds yummy and here's Grandma2's recipe that you were looking for:

Rice and Peas

1/2 to 1 cup red or gungeo peas
2 teaspoon salt
2 stalk escallion
1 sprig thyme
1 scotch bonnet pepper, whole
2 cup rice
1 juiced coconut or 1/4 of the box creamed
3 tablespoon margarine or butter
2 cloves garlic, minced
6 piminto seed, whole

Wash peas, place in pot with enough water to cover, add garlic and pimento seed. Boil until soft about 1 hour. Add coconut cream, salt, butter, pepper, thyme, escallion, boil for 2 mins. wash rice and add to pot, bring to a boil, cover and turn fire down to the lowest, simmer for about 20 mins until rice is cooked. Add more water if necessary.

[AIR]

Re: Rice and Peas

Hi Simmy - every once in a while mi take a look to see what Breeze is up to... [img]/forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img]

Thanks for Grandma's recipe! I'll try it this weekend - I'm in the mood for the some Jerk chicken too! Maybe some coconut bread for dessert. Have you tried it yet?

[Breeze]

Re: Rice and Peas

every once in a while mi take a look to see what Breeze is up to...

Must be a slow work day huh ? [img]/forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img]

Hopefully I will get to try some of the chicken with weekend.

Breeze

[Tuff Gong]

Re: Rice and Peas

It is better to use Coconut milk from the can or Grate your own coconut, if all else fail use the Coconut Cream. When using the canned milk use only half of the can. The best variety of Canned Coconut Milk is Thai Kitchen Brand (lite or premium, has not additives), Chef Brand, or Chaokoh Brand, then Goya (not the worse, but one of).

Better also to use Dreid Peas or Beans rather than canned. Soak the Peas or Kidney Beans if you use dried varieties......Peace

[AIR]

Re: Rice and Peas

Grandma2 said she uses dried peas/beans as well, boiling them first and then adding the rice after the peas are done. I'll be sure to try it. I had to do some real hunting to find the coconut milk in the local grocery store but I have now found it and will have no problems in the future (I found it in the pop aisle?!) Thai brand has been what I've been using and tastes great! I also forgot to mention adding onion and garlic which are pretty well essential ingredients in all cooking! Thanks for the useful tips. [img]/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

[Simmy]

Re: Rice and Peas

Good morning Air, if you use dried peas/beans, I recommend you soak them in water over night, they will cook faster the next day if you do so. (Drain them in the morning and then add them to the pot) Did I say that already? If I did, my apologies, I tend to repeat myself sometimes. LOL. [img]/forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img]

Tuff Gong, did you knoh (and I'm sure you do, heh heh) that canned coconut milk has a lot of flour in it, more flour than coconut milk? They don't even tell you that on the can label, but it's true. I actually heard a canned coconut milk manufacturer say that. Plus it does have other additives as you said.
I use the creamed if I don't have fresh. The creamed is pure coconut, no additives. I usually grate it (by hand grater) before using it, then add it to my pot.

Canned beans/peas and canned coconut milk is for folks that don't have a lot of time in the kitchen, sometimes I tend to be one of those folks. When I have the time though, I do it the long way, dried beans/peas soaked overnight and grate and milk a fresh coconut. I use my blender rather than hand grate tho. [img]/forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img]

[BND1999]

Re: Rice and Peas

Definitely printing this thread... Someone told me this recipe over the phone but not with the right amounts.. I ended up with a coconut rice gluey thing at the bottom of my pan... However I was told to us a can of the cocunut milk.. seems that was way overkill.. fresh sounds better.. will try again..

[Simmy]

Re: Rice and Peas

BND, you can use the creamed, as Grandma2 says, 1/4 box. As I stated before you posted, I grate it and then add it to the water. Once you add the rice though, do not stir your pot, that's what makes it gluey. Hold on I posted something about that and how to deal with it, make mi go find it.

[BND1999]

Re: Rice and Peas

Thanks Simmy ... I will try again.. [img]/forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img]

[Simmy]

Re: Rice and Peas

Here you go BND, don't fret, it took mi a while to get the process down pat too!! [img]/forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img]

Simmy's notes:
You can either crush or chop the scallion. Remove the whole scotch bonnet pepper before adding your rice! (Don't let that bad boy burst in there! ) Remove pimento seeds before serving.
If you soak the peas over night, they will cook faster. When adding the rice, stir once then do not stir your pot again after adding the rice, it will get mushy.
When my rice is cooked and all the liquid is out, I turn the fire down to low as possible, and let the rice steam till quite dry. I use a burner trivet and place it between the pot and the fire to keep the bottom of the food from burning while it is drying/steaming. After all this is done, right before you serve, you can fluff up your rice
with a fork from the bottom up towards the top till the peas are distributed amongst the rice as you want it. Please wait till right before serving to do that. Hope all that helps!!

[BND1999]

Re: Rice and Peas

Thanks Simmy..I was beginning to get discouraged.. every time I try a Jamaican recipe it bombs [img]/forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif[/img] I laugh and realize something I did was wrong.. but I will keep trying.. Nothign like the rice and peas when it's done right..

One question.. gungeo peas?? is this a certain type I have not heard of?? Maybe I will try this tomorrow.. got to go find me a coconut [img]/forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img]

[Simmy]

Re: Rice and Peas

BND, if you use the canned coconut milk, do as Tuff Gong says and only use 1/2 can, stir the contents of the can first before using. (Store the rest in a container for a next use but don't store it for too long.)

Lesson number 2:

Gungo peas, also known as *gandules verdes* or pidgeon peas. You can get them dried (they are brown). When you soak and clean them, all the ones that float to the top, get rid of, and also pick out the ones the look bad. These also take longer to cook than green gungo.
You can get them green, either frozen or in the can, Goya brand is usually available in all markets. Green ones you don't have to cook as long and use the same method, put them in water to clean them (get the brine off too) all that float, get rid of and pick out the bad looking ones.
Red peas, are also used in rice and peas, either kidney beans, which are large or small red peas, which are of course, smaller. Dried or canned, dried is preferred unless you don't have the time for it, then use canned, drain and rinse before using.

As for the coconut, LOL, use the creamed, I recommend it, 1/4 box, grated. If you insist on using a fresh coconut, you will need lesson #3, *How to pick and buy a good coconut*, and lesson #4, *How to make coconut milk from a fresh coconut*. Let me know if you decide to do that. [img]/forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img]

[Tuff Gong]

Re: Rice and Peas

Originally posted by Simmy:
Tuff Gong, did you knoh (and I'm sure you do, heh heh) that canned coconut milk has a lot of flour in it, more flour than coconut milk? They don't even tell you that on the can label, but it's true. I actually heard a canned coconut milk manufacturer say that. Plus it does have other additives as you said.[/QB]

Which ones?
That why I say used Thai Kitchen. It is made from pressed Coconut with water. The problem with coconut cream is the because it is not mixed with water right away it tends to get oily over time, at least the ones that I saw in the 80s. If you live in a place where you can get coconut, then by all means use a blender. Sometimes even then it is hit or miss findig good coconuts....peace

[Simmy]

Re: Rice and Peas

Mawnin Tuff Gong, I'll have to look for the brand you speak of, I tend to buy what's on sale, LOL. Right now, what I have is *Oriental King*. (Also manufactured in Thailand) BTW: The manufacturer that I heard speak said all canned coconut milk has flour in it, that's what they use as a thickener. He even went so far as to say fresh or creamed was better.

Coconut cream I store in the fridge, it's quite available up here in NY in the Spanish or Jamaican sections of the markets. Haven't had any problems with oiliness. I always keep a couple of boxes of that on hand, and as I said, it keeps well in the fridge.

Oh yes, and you're right about coconuts, good ones are hard to find, one MUST know how to pick a good one. (Sometimes, what they offer up here, none are any good. Afta dem tek lang fi reech up yah dem nuh so fresh again anyway)